1968 The Turning Point

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1968 The Turning Point

1968
  • Election year
  • Olympic year
  • Turing point for the Vietnam war
Leading up to 1968
  • No clear cut winner in the war
  • increase in american forces in SE Asia
  • Viet Cong proved to be the guide force in South Vietnam
  • U.S tries to "pacify" South Vietnam
  • Optimistic reports are sent back
  • Mcnamara see "a light at the end of the tunnel"
  • Overall, the public still supported america in vietnam

The Tet Offensive
  • An attack on US strongholds tthroughout souther vietnam (15) by the Viet Cong
  • All events were broadcasted on TV
  • Walter Cronkite was voice of American people-he thought the war was unwinnable
  • Eventually developed into a U.S. victory
  • Shook the public
  • LBJ struggles- congress cuts his great society budget
  • US invovment in the war is openly criticized
  • New Defense Secretary states that the war seems unwinnable

Public opionion changes
  • The nation turns on Johnson
  • Johnson speaks about halting bombing
  • People are worried about US fetilities
  • April 4th, 1968- Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated
  • Riots develope in every major cities in U.S
  • Robert Kenney will run for the democratic party- he is anti-war and wants to unite the nation again
  • After winning California primary election, Robert Kennedy is shot and dies 26 hours later
  • 1968 Election- Democratic candidates are Eugene McCarthy and Hubert H. Humphrey
  • National TV broadcasts Chicago convention riots
  • Richard Nixon vs Hubert Humphrey (republican) vs Geoge Wallace (alabama governor, dixicrat) american independent
  • Close election
  • Nixon promises peace and honor